With two of last year’s nominees (Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig and Desperate Housewives’ late Kathryn Joosten) out of the running, and a third (Nurse Jackie’s Merritt Wever) looking less like a long shot than a no shot, the field is wide open. Even if The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik, and Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen (2012’s winner), are again nominated, that still leaves three slots open — or two if Emmy raises another glass to Arrested Development’s intoxicating Jessica Walter.

Review the following slideshow of the major contenders — including TVLine’s Dream Nominees — then hit the comments to vote for who you think are the six best. And check back Monday as we tackle the Outstanding Drama Series race!

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I so wish they would nominate Casey Wilson, but if they were to nominated Jane Krakowski, I would want her to win because she made Jenna the funniest character on 30 Rock! Also, Elisha Cuthbert should be nominated!

Ugh, I’m so over 30 Rock. I’m really surprised there was no mention of Angela Kinsey from The Office. I thought her work was absolutely STELLAR this season. She could go from cold to heartbroken to happy to pissed in like 5 seconds. It blew me away.

I don’t think Zosia Mamet is a long shot, she’ll definitely be in my top 6 predictions on GoldDerby. If the voters decide to embrace the show even more this year, she and Adam Driver could easily get in. Naya Rivera is definitely a long shot, she’s wonderful but her show is so bad.

It’s not like Glee has never been nominated before. The problem is, the academy loves to nominate Jane Lynch over everyone else. Jane is wonderful but the show has lots of other great supporting cast members.

No, the problem is Glee is an awful show. You can have multiple nominees from one show (hello Modern Family) so it’s not like they couldn’t nominate Jane and Naya, it’s just that they won’t because the quality of the show is bad. The only season Glee really got nominated was its first and the recognition has dropped significantly since then. I’d be shocked if Glee garnered even a single nomination this year, except maybe for Kate Hudson since the Emmys do like their movie stars.

I agree. She is wonderful. Personally, I believe that she is better that some the actresses that were nominated last year for this category but Glee is awful. The show’s quality is poor and it is not making buzz anymore. Unfortunately it is what she is linked to. Too bad.
Kate Hudson has the best chance of getting nominated from Glee because like you said “Emmys do like their movie stars”.

the fact that Glee was awful but Naya was the only good thing, should not be an incentive to give her a nomination? This only proves that her talent is greater than all the glee’s crap! I mean, it’s easier to be a good and fun actress in a good show; instead Naya made a miracle to be funny and good in a lousy show.

So happy you guys included Jane Krakowski as a Dream Nominee, she’s the most underrated player in the show, she has been hilarious from the pilot on. I’m going to be so upset if the Emmys snub her again this year, in my eyes, she should be the winner.

Jane should have won every year. She has been consistently funny in every episode and I watch the reruns because of her. Her portrayal of her character just cracks me up. A raised eyebrow, narrowing of eyes and totally being delusional about being young. Loved it when she thought she was the teenager on Gossip Girl!!! So many great moments.

I was surprised when Merritt Wever got nominated last year, but not because she didn’t deserve it, more so that they finally acknowledged her. Sad that it seems she won’t get another go at it as she’s constantly hysterical on Nurse Jackie. Would love any combo of Eden Sher, Casey Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Eliza Coupe, Kaley Cuoco, Aubrey Plaza, and Jane Krakowski as well.

Who’s to say they aren’t choosing performances they deem to be deserving? I disagree with half of their choices, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with who they’ve chosen. We all have our preferences. Not-so-incidentally, why haven’t you listed yours?

Hell yes to Eliza Coupe and Casey Wilson nominees! I love them both but I would have to root for Eliza because she took a character that so easily could have been an annoying harpy and turned her into the funniest character on the show.

Unfortunately being the best thing on Glee this season and deserving an award are 2 different things. If this was season 2 I would agree with you. But the writing, directing, editing, and everything else related to Glee this season was so bad that it isn’t hard for Naya to stand out because every one else pretty much sucked, It is especially obvious when they are spending so much time trying to make people like Chord seem great and then Naya comes in with just a couple lines and kills it every time without the whole cast having to tell people she was great and pimp her.

If Glee would stop trying to push the straight white male hero and let girls be their own heroes and not need a man for their storyline to get screen time than maybe other Glee women would also have a chance at greatness and nominations. But that will never happen, and next year will be even worse than this one. And some of the women who did well this year, Jayma and Heather for instance, and some of the women who were under used and under appreciated like Vanessa will all be gone. So maybe the new women they bring in will be good. But I doubt it judging by the new people they brought in last year and how they were just poor versions of the original characters living out the same recycled plots we had already seen.

Glee is done as far as I am concerned. They do not deserve any praise or awards anymore. And the show runners have proven themselves huge jerks and egotistical many a time. I hope next season fails spectacularly so the few good actors and actresses on this show can move onto something where they actually get to show off their talents. And there fans get treated with respect by the people in charge.

As for whom I would choose as the winner, I would “geek out” on Emmy night if Eden won, but I have to go with Jane. She has always been great on 30 Rock, and I would enjoy seeing her cap off that role with an Emmy win!

I have been saying all season if the EMMYs actually watched all comedies without whatever influences it would be clear that Eliza Coupe has been a standout this year as Jane on Happy Endings. To be fair most of this list deserve a nomination but Coupe has been freaking awesome all year!

+1. I’m a casual BBT watcher, and I can barely stand Penny now, she was much more likable before. I just feel like I’m watching Jennifer Aniston, the Friends years, all over again with that character, sweetie.

Well, sweetie, Jennifer Aniston won an Emmy for that, so I say keep doing what you’re doing, Kaley. Since when is it required for a character to be likable all the time anyway? Sometimes you’re not supposed to like them. That’s not how you decide an Emmy race. That’s what People’s Choice Awards are for.

I think she and Leonard have gotten stale. Plus, she is too sure that she has the upper hand. I’d like the power to shift next season. Maybe win some major award and his being pursued by multiple fabulous women and her career goes further down the tubes. They are so boring.

As much as I think Jane Krakowski deserves it for her body of work on 30 Rock, Jenna Fischer was so wonderful this season on The Office. I would love to see both her and John Krasinski at least get noms.

All the girls from Happy Endings
All the girls from Big Bang Theory except Kaley (she should be best actress)
I have not watched House of Cards but I am sure Kristin deserves a nom for it.
Why is Christa Miller from Cougar Town not on the list????

They will laugh, but I actually have my support behind extra-extra-extra long shot Toks Olagundoye from The Neighbors. The sheer hilarity of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” episode nailed it for me and made me start watching a show I had initially written off as “stupid beyond words.”

Kaley Cuoco could also swap in. Really though, as long as Jane Krakowski and Eliza Coupe and Casey Wilson make the cut then, I am happy. I think that only Jane would make it of those three, though, which is fine since she really deserves it – not just the nomination, but deserves the win.

I know that season four of Community wasn’t that great, but Yvette Nicole Brown’s performance was amazing. Just watch “Intro to Felt” for example; whatever you have to say about that episode, Yvette was amazing and deserves recognition for that. I’ve been impressed with the work of most of the other actresses mentioned, even if I don’t their shows; for that reason, I don’t have a dream list. I would just like Yvette to get a nom. (Even though I realize anything Community is an even longer shot that usual this awards season.)

I thought Portia de Rossi was freaking hilarious this season of Arrested Development. Her first episode (S04E03) is my fave of the season together with the Lucille & Buster one. So I want her to get a nomination. Together with Lucille Walter, Jenna Fischer, Julie Bowen, Angela Kinsey (she really kicked ass this season in The Office) and Jane Krakowski.

Portia submitted herself in lead actress this year which is a pretty hard category to break into, particularly with all 7 of last year’s nominees still being eligible this year. She would have had a much better chance if she stayed in supporting. She made…wait for it….a huge mistake.

Look… Kaley Cuoco deserved to be nominated (and to win) for Seasons 1-4 of The Big Bang Theory. But the last two seasons have dramatically reduced her role to a borderline unlikable stereotype. Her character has become a shell of what she once was. She just hasn’t had any good material the past two seasons. Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch are absolutely fantastic… and well-deserving of nominations. Problem is, them getting nominated would feel like a slap-to-the-face to Kaley… who was pretty much the only regular female presence on the show during its best seasons. As for who should WIN this year, it’s really simple: Jane Krakowski. Jane Krakowski. Jane Krakowski.